Great Brittans mourning garment Giuen to all faithfull sorrowfull subiects at the funerall of Prince Henry.

To the Honorable Knight , Sir DAVID MVRRAY . AND To the other Nobly discended , and honorably minded followers of the late deceased Prince HENRY . ON whom shall I these funerall notes bestow , Newly bedeaw'd & hallowed with my teares ? But on you chiefly , for your secret woe The heauiest burthen of our sorrow beares ; We but as strangers on the shore lament , A common ship-wracke , but you that did owe Your seruice to that golden vessel ( rent ) What wonder if your griefes doe ouer-flow ? By how much greater your faire fortunes were , The losse is so much greater you sustaine , We meaner men may our mischances beare With lesser trouble , and more equall paine , Yet spare your teares though you haue cause to mone It is not meete you should lament alone .

II. MElpomene , and all you sacred brood , Of Mnemosine with liuing Lawrell crown'd , You that haue fill'd your veins with heauenly foode And scorne to pray vpon the barraine ground , Helpe me these Funerall Anthems to resound . For his sweet soule , who liuing lou'd you deere But now is dead , and other Saints hath found , Leauing you to lament his fortunes here . Strow Cypresse , and pale Violets on his Tombe , And on his faire Crest fixe a Crowne of Bayes Immortall , That who'euer there doth come May view the Ensignes of his endlesse praise : And let some Spirit garde the holy Cell , Wherin the bones of that braue Prince shal dwel .

III. YOu gentle spirits that turne not your eyes From common griefs , nor are of mettall made Such as these Iron Ages do comprise ; Come see , wherein our humane glory lies : See liuing vertues in death daily fade , Wither'd and wasted in th' vnthankfull graue : For as a flower , or Sommers passing shade ; Such is the hope and fortune worldlings haue : Oh noble Prince , thy daies but new begun , And that same Ensign long since brought from France By Edward the black-Prince , third Edwards Sonne , Being by thee but lately re-aduanc't ; Why should such honor into darknes goe , And leaue so many friends so full of woe ?

IIII. OH froward Saturne , and maleuolent , That euery blooming glory dost enuie , And with thy frosts dost nip the buds yet pent In their greene bowers through thy vilde Iealousie , And hatefull malice to all liuing things . Why dost thou spread on vs thy dismall light Couering our fairest flowers with thy cold wings ? How farre art thou vnlike to Phoebus bright , That ioyes to see the smallest blossom thriue , And throwes his gentle light on euery thing ? But thou , peruerse , dost all of life depriue , Man , Beast , and Plant thou dost to ruine bring : Vnlucky Starre , albeit thou thought'st him fit To stoop to thee , thou might'st haue spar'd him yet .

V. ANd you foule wrinckled destinies that do sit , In darknes to depriue the world of light Making the thread , and sodaine mangling it , ●hrough peeuish rancour , and peruerse despight . Your hand appeares in this our Tragedie , The wound we feele , by your sharp edge was made , That edge which cut the golden twist so nigh Of our Prince HENRY , who in liueles shade As yet amased of his sodaine change Lookes for those louing friends whom he lov'd best ; But when he sees himselfe so farre estrang'd , He Yeilds his spirit to eternall rest : Hard-hearted fates , that him of life depriue , That leaues so many mournfull friends aliue .

VI. SAd Melancholy lead me to the Caue Where thy black Incense and dim Tapers burne , Let me some darke and hollow corner haue , Where desolate my sorrowes I may mourne : And let thy heauiest Musick softly sound Vnto the doleful songs that I recite ; And euer let this direfull voice rebound Through the vast den : Ah dead is Britans light ; Then if thy heart be with compassion mou'd Of my Laments , come rest thy self by me , And mourne with me , for thou hast euer lov'd To beare a part in euery Tragedie : And if to plaints thou wilt inure thy mind , Thou neuer couldst a fitter season finde .

VII . WHo in some earthly Paradice hath espide , And long time view'd with pleasure of his eye A well growne Plant , adorn'd on euery side With beautious blossomes lifted vp on high , Ready when his due season shall require , To yeild the sweet fruite of his boasted flowers , But all on sodaine with heauens liquid fire Is blasted , and on earth vntimely powers , His vnripe glorie by his Fate preuented : Who such a luckles spectacle hath knowne ; Let him compare the fortune then presented Vnto Prince HENRIES Fate , and let him mone That he to leaue all Tropheis now is seene , Whose Crest of late was honored with , ICH Dien .

VIII . THey that shall see Prince HENRIES sad built Tomb , And think his corps are only shrouded there , Erre farre from truth , nor seem to vnderstand How many vertues in that Worthy were . A thousand graces with him buried lie , A thousand Triumphs , and a thousand loues , With him the life of honor seems to die , And that braue troop of Nymphs that from the groues Were wont to tread the measures through the green ; Since Henries death into dark caues are fled , Nor euer since of mortall eye were seene , So that the world reports that they are dead , , And sooth , I know not , but they lov'd him so , That 't is no wonder if they died for woe .

IX . EVen as the substance of a shooting star Grown great by Time , now ready with new light Throughout the world to spread his glory farre , And emulate the raies of Titan bright , Soone as the hoped fire hath giuen him powre , To shew his glory , and aloft to shine , Euen in a moment in the selfe-same hower , His golden head does downe to earth encline ; And those Illustrious beams which lately sent Such star-like brightnes do to darknes turne , And all his glorious hope so quickly spent , Leaues but a smoaky cloud his end to mourne , So did Prince HENRY in his glory fall , And left vs nothing but his funerall .

X YOu sacred Forrests , and you spotles streams That part the flowry medowes with your fall , You water-Nymphes and Ladies of the Tea'ms , And thou dread Thamesis , mother of them all ; With brinish teares weep in your sandy Ford : Weep fields , and groues , and you poore Driads weep , The sodaine Funerall of our Brittish Lord , Whose eyes are now clos'd vp in iron sleepe . Both trees , and streams , lament his loss that lov'd Your siluer waters , and wide spreading shades , But now is farre away from you remoov'd , Vnto a Paradice that neuer fades , There in eternall happinesse to remaine , But we in sorrow here , and ceasless paine .

XI . OH how vncertaine are the daies of Man ? How many dangers vndermine our ioyes ? Suppose we shun the stormy Ocean , Nor stand agast at Cannons fearefull noise , Admit we put Achilles Armour on , That neuer could be pierc't by mortall Iron , Or liue enclos'd in towres of brasse or stone , Such as no power of enemy can enuiron . Yet are we not secure from stroake of death , Our foe we nourish euen in our breasts , The venemous disease that stops our breath : Oh learne to cast out such vngratefull guests , Thy fortunes Henry had not falne out so , If thou hadst fear'd none but an outward foe .

XII . AWake Euterpe my dull drooping Song With thy melodious thundring blastes awhile : Helpe thou my fainting fury to prolong , And powre new fire into my frozen stile : Then like a bould enchaunter I will call , The mournfull shadowes from infernall deepe , They know best how t' adorne a Funerall Or what rights doe belong to them that sleepe . No : Rest you ghosts , possesse your quiet peace , My griefes forbid me to disturbe the dead , And rest fond teares , and fruitlesse Dirges cease , But thou that with thy Trumpet shril dost spread The praise of worthies ( oh impartiall fame ) Helpe me to celebrate Prince Henries name .

XIII . WHat grace , what fortuns could our hearts inuent While yet Prince H. in his cradel lay ? That did not following ioyne in one consent To make him fortunate to his dying day . Shal I recount the honours with him borne , Which from his worthy Ancestors were deriu'd ? Or those rare vertues , which his mind adorn'd ? Or shall these notes his man-like actions praise ; ( Whereof too soone our senses are depriu'd ? ) Or comely gestures when he pleasd to grace The Lordly reuells , and a thousand wayes , The winding measure with his steps to trace : I , there my Muse if thou for greefe could stay , We might passe ouer a long summers day .

XIIII . YOw holy Angels , and you powers of light , And you that in old Abrahams bosome rest , The glad enioyers of Gods glorious sight Haue you receiu'd your sanctified guest ? Hath Henry the Caelestiall seat obtain'd ? Shines he in roabes of immortality ? And of his well runne race the crowne now gain'd , Scornes he our earthly Pompe , and Maiesty ? For while his iolly Pilgrimage did last , His guiltlesse hands were free from bloud , and strife ; Voide of vaine pride , and as the snow new chac't From her high Mansion , was his thread of life , True Christian faith endu'd with constant minde , And vnto such the promise was assign'd .

XV. WHereto shall I Prince Henries life compare ? His Infancy eu'n to those beams that shine , Before the Sunne vnmaskes his visage bare Beating the shadowes from his goulden eyne . And those bright houres , that with their temperate heat Glad the greene earth , and teach the birds to sing , And Swaines their ancient Carrols to repeat : Those that present his ripe yeeres in their spring Thus still with fresh delights , and glory led , Till the slow shep-heard doth his flock enfould , And th' euening Sun on the dry earth does spread New pleasing light , then sodainely behold Night comes , and chases HENRIES life away , And makes it like vnto a Sommers day .

XVI . I Muse from whence these forward tears shold flow Or when our minde of secret griefe complaines , Why though vnwilling through our eyes wee show The inward passion of our hidden paines . I know our sighes are but the cooling ayre , Wherewith our fainting heart we doe sustaine , That els would smother in her owne despaire , All comfort thankles breathing back againe . But wherefore Nature should in open view , Create two fountaines full of liuing source : Whether so soone as we find cause to rue , Our Passions make their generall recourse Who knowes ? vnlesse thereby we should reueale That our true sorrowes we should not conceale .

XVII . MOther of heauinesse yeeld me one request , For many drops vpon thine Altar shed , Since thou thy mournful galleries hast drest With carefull monuments of th' untimely dead : To feed with view of their callamities Thy pensiue humour , and selfe-hating sight , For there Troyes Queene in painted languor lies , And forlorne Dido rob'd of her delight Kneeles on the burning pile : There Mausolus tomb : There stands Pyrene wept into a spring , And with his loue Marke Anthony of Rome , Their griefe in dead imbracements vttering , Among these spectacles let a Herse bee made For wofull HENRY that may neuer fade .

XVIII . ONce more Melpomene grant thy willing aide , I sing not now of franticke Progne's change , Nor of the boy transform'd into a maide : Nor how the girle did like a Heifar range . Farre sadder notes , my sullen Musicke yeelds , Farre other dreames afflict my sad repose Of broken Tombes , and of th' Elisian fields , And of the scathfull floulds , that Dis enclose . But let such vaine thoughts vanish with my sleepe , And of Prince Henries death now let vs sing , And teach the Rockes on Monas shores to weepe , And fright the sea with their vast bellowing : That Neptune hearing of their pitteous cry , May thinke that all the Westerne world did die .

XIX . THou shalt not die Prince HENRY , if my songs Hereafter tuned to a higher key Can sound the honour that to thee belongs , With sacred murmur of eternity : With Cordelion in the Towres of Fame , And with the dreadfull HENRIES of this land , ( Oh nev'r on earth did sound a mightier name ) Thy meeker Image crown'd with Bayes shall stand : Then shall my Accents break with more successe , But now rude grief that no adornment beares Smothers my notes , and bids me but expresse A sodaine sorrow with my simple teares : Sufficeth me while thy sweet Ghost doth sleep , Long ouer it with watry eyes to weep .